Whatever Happened to Vacations?
by lil whit
Summary: When Ayako gets the whole of SPR together for the weekend, everyone hopes to relax. Of course, things are never the way they seem and now there is a ghost targeting Mai specifically. Can she be saved in time or will she be lost forever? And what of Naru?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi guys! The muse struck me again. XD I dunno if this is a good or bad thing but here we are. I'm not sure how this one will work out so please bear with me. I'm trying to make this fic better than most fics about the gang going on vacation. Cuz let's face it; most vacation fanfics are incredibly OOC and so on and so forth. At least most of the ones I've read. Anyway, enjoy! And please review! It let's me know how I'm doing. :)

Oh! And I don't own Ghost Hunt or it's characters. That is all Fuyumi Ono's amazing work!

Chapter One: Ayako's Idea

It had been two years since SPR had disbanded and then returned. Mai Taniyama, while she was still hurting, tried not to think about her boss too much. This was becoming increasingly harder, however, as he was sitting next to her _without his shirt._ And why was Kazuya Shibuya shirtless you might find yourself asking?

It had all started the day before when Mai had gotten a phone call from Ayako. She'd been in the process of cleaning her messy apartment when the phone rang. "Hello?" she'd answered.

"Hi, Mai! This is Ayako."

"What's up, Ayako?"

"Well, I've called in a few favors and managed to get a place for the weekend on an island. I've already talked to the rest of the gang about it and we'll be leaving tomorrow. Oh and here's the best part: Naru and Lin are coming."

Mai gasped and nearly dropped the phone. "No way! How'd you manage that?" she questioned.

She could almost hear Ayako's smirk. "I invited Madoka along. I figured it was about time we all had a good vacation. Oh, and you'll need your bathing suit. I've rented us boats."

Mai sweatdropped. "Should I even ask how you got Madoka's number? And anyway, I don't think I can go."

There was a pause on the other line. "Mai," Ayako started in a threatening tone, "if you don't come willingly, I will drag you with us while you're asleep and have Naru pack your bags!"

Mai turned bright red. She felt a knot form in her stomach at the thought of being stuck with Naru. She sighed.

"I knew you'd see it my way! The monk will be picking you up at five tomorrow morning. Be ready!" With that, the miko hung up on her.

Mai despaired as she packed. She decided she would just have to avoid that narcissist when at all possible. She wandered over to her bookshelf. 'If I'm reading, I can ignore him better,' she thought. She scanned the titles carefully. One in particular caught her eye more than any. It was her favorite book; the plot, a tragic love story. And the coup de grace? It was in English, a subject she'd gotten pretty good at lately so she wouldn't get left behind when Naru decided to speak it. Wouldn't he be surprised to know she could understand him?

She was also just generally in the mood for a tragic love story, if only to make her feel better about her own. So she packed it into her beach bag as well as an English fantasy novel. When she was done with that, she focused on getting ready for her so called "vacation".

And so, here she was stuck on a boat between a shirtless Naru and shirtless Yasuhara in only her bathing suit top and a pair of shorts. She closed her eyes and sighed. She could already tell it was going to be a long day.

Yasuhara poked Mai's bare stomach, a mischievious glint in his eyes.

Mai squeaked and turned toward him. "Yasu! What was that for?" she demanded.

Yasu had an almost angelic look on his face as he replied, "I just didn't want you to miss the scenery."

She almost believed him as she looked past Naru toward the island they'd be staying on. It was breathtaking! And then, she felt a finger in her side again. She turned. "Yasu, what-"

Mai was cut off, however, by Yasu tickling her.

"Y-Yasu! St-stop!" she managed between giggles.

"Not until I get a confession!"

By this time the whole group was watching.

"Confession?" she gasped, confused.

Naru's voice cut in then. "I would appreciate it if you would save the frolicking for when we get to the island." He had a cross look on his face.

Yasu stopped and Mai sat up straight again. She glared at Takigawa. "And just who told Yasu I was ticklish, hmm?"

Bou-san shrugged. "Wasn't me, Jou-chan!"

"Well then who else could it have been?" No one spoke up so Mai sighed again.

Yasu smiled his million- watt smile. "Sorry about that, Mai-chan. You just looked so cute in your bikini top, I couldn't help myself."

Bou-san got up and pushed Yasu away from Mai, before sitting beside her himself. "I'm afraid I can't allow you to sit next to my adorable Mai-chan," he said as he put an arm around the aforementioned girl.

Mai rolled her eyes at Masako while Ayako proceeded to hit both the monk and Yasu over the head with her beach bag.

It was then that Lin pointed out, "We're here."

Mai looked beside her to see that Naru had already left the boat. She blinked. That had been fast. She grabbed her stuff and made sure to stay between Ayako and Masako on her way off.

A/N: Sorry it's so short!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Okay so this chapter is probably as short as the last, if not shorter. XD I'm working on it though! The next chapter WILL be longer. Hopefully, I've kept everyone in character but if there's something that can be improved upon, please review and let me know! Ja ne!~

Chapter Two: Of Confessions and Evil Schemes

As Mai was unpacking her bag- everyone had their own rooms this time- Ayako and Masako sat on her bed.

"What was that about?" Masako asked, hands in her lap.

"What?" Mai looked over at the two.

"What I think Masako is trying to say, Mai, is what's going on between you and Yasuhara?" Ayako cut in.

Mai crossed the room and plopped down between the two. "Nothing. Yasu's just being Yasu," she responded.

Ayako raised an eyebrow. "Doesn't seem that way to me."

Mai sighed. "He knows I still love Naru even if that _isn't_ working out quite so well."

"That doesn't mean Yasu isn't trying to make you forget about Naru," Masako explained.

Mai shook her head. "But I don't see him that way. He's more like a brother to me. Besides, what makes you think he has feelings for me?"

Ayako watched her for a moment before asking, "How often does he visit your apartment?"

"Twice a week."

Ayako and Masako exchanged glances. "He may be trying to get your attention," Masako commented.

Mai, ready to steer away from this awkward conversation, said the first thing that came to mind. "Speaking of Naru, where is he? I haven't seen him since the boat ride here."

Ayako smirked. "He's being as anti-social as ever."

Masako shook her head. "I think he was jealous of Yasu."

Mai forced a laugh. "Naru, jealous? Ha! That man has an ego bigger than the continent of Asia!"

Masako and Ayako noticed the flicker of pain across the brunette's features and, in an attempt to keep the conversation light, Ayako announced, "We'll be boating once everyone gets settled. Madoka's forcing Naru to come so you'll be able to see that perfect figure of his again."

Mai smiled. "You know if he caught me looking he'd say something like, 'I know I'm handsome but please refrain yourself from swooning.'" She then frowned. "Or he'd tell me to stop confusing him for Gene," she murmured to herself.

A thought occurred to Masako, and after a moment of debating, she asked, "What exactly happened between you and Naru at the lake?"

Mai felt tears well up and she looked at her hands to hide them. She swallowed then replied, "I told him how I felt and he told me that I didn't love him; that I was substituting him for Gene. That it was Gene's kindness..." Mai trailed off, unable to keep from crying anymore. It hurt still.

Masako and Ayako both put an arm around Mai, and once she'd finished crying Masako said, "There may still be a chancethen."

Ayako shot the medium an icy glare.

Mai gave her a weird look. "What do you mean?"

"If Naru thinks you love Gene then there may still be a chance that he has feelings for you."

Ayako caught on. "Masako, you're a genius!" she exclaimed as she jumped up and headed for the door. "This requires a wardrobe change!"

Mai narrowed her eyes at the both of them. "What are you planning?"

Masako smirked. "Once we're done with you, you won't be able to be rid of Naru!"

Mai blanched. "Oh no. No, no, no! He doesn't love me and this is a bad idea!" she cried out.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hope you guys like this chapter! I'm not quite sure how I feel about this one. Please remember that if you have any constructive criticism to leave a review and any changes that are needed, I'll take care of it. I am glad that this chapter is actually longer than the first two. XD Hooray! Ja ne, minna!

Chapter Three: Of Bikini's and Hair Dryers

An hour later, Bou-san sent Naru to find Ayako, Masako, and Mai so the group could go boating. He sighed. Why did _he_ have to do this meaningless task? Bou-san had insisted and Naru had given in, if only to shut Takigawa up.

He heard shouting as he approached Mai's room; it worried him only slightly. He wasn't prepared, however, for the commotion inside.

When he opened the door, he very nearly laughed. He instead chose to stand there and watch, emotionless mask up to hide his bemusement. Mai was holding a hair dryer at arm's length as if it were a gun.

She kept shifting the aim from Ayako to Masako, slight panic reflected in her brown eyes.

Masako and Ayako were each holding bathing suit pieces that probably couldn't cover much of a cat, let alone a person.

"I told you two; I am NOT wearing something like that, no matter HOW much you think he'll like it!" Mai shouted.

"But Mai, it'd be perfect for getting his attention! If he sees you in this, he won't be able to resist you!" Ayako shot back.

"No! He'd say something like, 'Why are you wearing something that doesn't even qualify as clothes? I knew you were stupid but this is ridiculous.'" Mai immitated.

Naru cleared his throat loudly at this point. He didn't want to hear about Mai trying to get some guy's attention. Not that he cared or anything.

Mai jumped at Naru's voice and dropped the hair dryer. She sunk to her knees, hand to her heart, face red as a tomato. "Y-you scared me."

Masako and Ayako hurried to hide the bikini's behind their backs, equal looks of shame on their faces. They kept their gazes on anything but Naru.

Naru scowled. "I was just coming to tell you three that the rest of us are ready to go boating. We'll leave without you if you don't hurry," he claimed, ice in his voice.

Mai shot the guilty party a glare before grabbing her beach bag. She smiled happily as she started for the door. She already had on her own bikini- one that covered the things that mattered but still accentuated her figure. She had cut-off shorts over her bikini bottoms and had her now long hair pulled off of her neck with a clip.

Naru had to work to keep his distance as Mai pushed past him and into the hallway. She was stunning.

Before Naru followed her, he turned to Ayako and Masako and warned, "Whatever it is you two are up to, stop it."

...

Once the whole gang was gathered, Madoka led them to the dock where two decent looking boats were waiting. "Ayako, Masako, Yasu, and John gets one boat while Lin, Naru, Takigawa, Mai, and I get the other!" she announced.

Within a few moments, the gang was on the water. When they were far enough from the shore, Bou-san cried out, "Let's go water skiing!"

Madoka called dibs on skiing first so Mai sat with Takigawa in the back of the boat and chatted. Naru sat at the front, reading, while Lin drove the boat.

When Madoka wiped out, Bou-san took her place as she sat beside Mai. After Takigawa skiied a little, it was Lin's turn and Naru took the wheel.

As Mai sat there talking with the monk and Madoka, she felt happy. She didn't get the chance to think about her idiot boss or ghosts or anything, really. She was free to just be content.

Once Lin motioned for Naru to stop the boat, however; that all changed. Monk smiled. "You're turn, Jou-chan!" he declared.

Mai shook her head. "No thanks."

"Aw, but Jou-chan, you must! You have to have fun on this trip!"

Before Mai could respond, she heard Naru say, "Do you really trust her doing something like this? She'd probably drown herself."

Mai scowled as she looked back at Naru. "Fine, I'll try it. But I don't want to hear anything from anyone if I can't do it!"

Mai then allowed Takigawa to help her into the skis and instruct her on what to do. It took Mai a few tries, but she managed to keep her balance for more than 5 seconds.

She looked around awestruck as the boat gained speed. The wind felt so good and the whole experience had her in a happy daze. This lasted for about 30 more seconds before Mai was distracted by a figure on the water. She blinked. "Gene?" she whispered before she hit a wave and wiped out.

Once she got back to the boat, Takigawa laughing away, she said, "I think I'm done guys."

Madoka pouted. "But you were doing good there for a minute. A bit more parctice and you'd be a pro!"

Mai smiled and shrugged. "I'm not feeling very well," she lied.

Madoka checked her forehead. "Well, you don't have a temperature, but I suppose you have all weekend to perfect your skiing. Go sit down and if you feel like going back let us know."

Mai nodded, relieved, and sat across from Naru and away from the others. She grabbed her romance novel from it's place in her beach bag. She didn't open it, though, just laid it in her lap and mulled over what had just happened.

'_I could have sworn I saw Gene. And he was pointing at something,_' she thought. She gazed in the direction she was sure Gene had pointed but saw nothing.

Naru, who'd been watching, told Lin quietly to head in that direction.

Mai heard this and felt her stomach clench. She had a bad feeling about this but tried to push it away by reading. She was soon lost in the book and sank deeper into her seat.

Naru glanced at his assistant and then looked around the water's surface but found nothing. He must have imagined the look on Mai's face as she got out of the water. She had had on the same expression as when she saw ghosts on cases. He sat back down and brought out a book of his own to read.

After reading the same sentence over and over, he shut his book and pinched the bridge of his nose. Why couldn't he stop thinking about Mai? She loved Gene. He silently cursed Madoka for dragging him with her on this "vacation". At least the others were leaving him alone.

He was brought out of his thoughts by a whimper to his left and turned to see that Mai had fallen asleep. "Mai," he said as he shook her awake.

She opened her eyes and Naru took notice of the tears spilling over. "Naru?" she asked, still in a bit of a haze.

"You were dreaming."

Mai sighed. Of course the one person she didn't want to deal with right now was the one person who had woken her from her nightmare. All she wanted to do was curl into a ball and cry. "Sorry," she apologized.

Naru watched her, wanting to do anything to get rid of those damn tears that didn't belong in Mai's eyes. He knew that he couldn't and wouldn't be able to comfort her, though, and it made his heart ache. "Was it one of those dreams?" he asked.

Mai shook her head. "Just a sad dream," she answered slowly as she tried to wipe her face.

"What about? Did you see Gene?" Naru blurted out before he could stop himself. He hated himself at the moment.

Mai shook her head again and tried to keep her composure. Naru was making this difficult on her. "It was a dream about the book I'm reading," she lied.

Naru picked the book up from where it lay open on her stomach and scowled as he read the back cover. "Why do women insist on reading things that they know will make them sad?"

Mai glared. "Why not? It doesn't hurt anything. And besides, it's a welcome relief to me. It's much better than a sappy, 'happily ever after.' It's real," Mai snapped. What the hell did it matter to Naru anyway? It wasn't as if he actually cared! Her dream had left her feeling bitter and Naru was making it worse.

After a moment of silence between them, Naru asked softly, "Why would you torment yourself, Mai?"

Mai looked out over the water. She needed to escape this conversation. It wasn't safe for her poor heart. She stuck her hand in the water, trying to ignore the idiot scientist beside her.

Suddenly, Mai felt a tug on her wrist. Her eyes widened. She didn't have time to call out to someone before she felt herself being pulled into the water. She tried to escape the grip of whoever was doing this to no avail. She looked at the hand on her wrist and nearly gasped. Her lungs were burning at this point. She needed air but she couldn't pull herself away. In a few moments, her world went black.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: So this chapter was tough. There will be much more action, I think, in the next chapter. But I figured this would show just how strained Mai and Naru's relationship is. At least, I hope it does. Please let me know if it doesn't make sense or just needs tweaking. Ja ne! P.S. Mai's trips to the Spirit Plane are always gonna be italicized.

Chapter Four: So Much for a Vacation

When Mai opened her eyes, she was greeted by Gene. _She gaped at him, unable to form the questions she wanted desperately to ask._

_He smiled sadly at her. _

_She finally was able to speak as her curiousity was getting the best of her. "Gene, what are you doing here? I thought you had moved on! Am I- am I dead?"_

_Gene sighed as he came closer. "No, Mai. You aren't dead. But you very nearly died. In fact, you stopped breathing for a minute. You're very lucky that Noll knows CPR," he answered._

_Mai's eyes went wide as she realized what he was saying. "H-he saved me? Oh, Gene! Why couldn't it have been Takigawa or Ayako or ANYONE else?" she cried as she felt her emotions swirl around and explode inside of her. When she woke, she wouldn't be able to look Naru in the face!_

_Gene chuckled. "He hasn't been that bad has he?"_

_Mai sighed. "He acts as if my confession never happened." She glanced at Gene as she continued, "Why is your brother so different from you, Gene? I mean, Luella had to have raised you two the same so why?"_

_Gene shook his head at the befuddled girl. "Mai, you know that no two people can be the same," he chastised gently. He then looked off to the distance as if he had heard something. _

_He took Mai's hand and said, "Follow me." After a little bit of walking he pointed below them. "See that, Mai?"_

_Mai looked down and noticed they were above a hospital. As she looked closer she saw herself lying in a hospital bed hooked up to a heart monitor. That's when she noticed a familiar dark clad figure, resting in a chair beside the bed with his head nestled on the edge of it. He looked so... innocent and peaceful asleep that it took Mai's breath away. _

_She was brought back by Gene's voice, saying, "It's time for you to wake up, Mai. If you don't wake the idiot scientist, your friends will and that will make him very angry."_

_Mai sighed. "Alright, Gene. But you never answered my question. I'm sure Naru would like to know why you're still here."_

_It was Gene's turn to sigh. "I'll explain later. For now, he's more worried about you."_

Gene faded away and Mai woke with a pounding headache. She groaned as she attempted to sit up.

Naru stirred and Mai's attention was instantly drawn to him. It was then that she remembered what Gene had said. "Naru," she whispered, but he didn't wake. She got an idea then and she found her mouth right beside Naru's ear. "Time to wake up, you idiot scientist!"

Naru turned, blue eyes meeting brown, and tried to hide his shock at one of Gene's phrases with an irritated glare. "What are you doing up, Mai? You should be resting."

Mai laid back and stared at the ceiling before explaining, "I saw Gene." She gave Naru a moment to absorb this and patiently awaited the question she knew was coming.

After a moment, Naru glanced at Mai and asked, "He's not at rest?"

Mai shook her head. "No." She shot Naru a confused gaze before questioning, "What could be keeping him here, Naru? You found him and brought him home..."

"I don't know, Mai," Naru snapped. He instantly regretted doing so, but couldn't bring himself to take down his mask. He was so confused. Gene shouldn't be appearing to Mai anymore. It didn't make sense.

Mai focused on her hands at Naru's outburst. She sighed, knowing that there needed to be a subject change. "So... what happened this time? All I remember is being pulled into the water."

Naru found himself angry all over again at the fact that Mai had almost died. "Lin's shiki dispelled the spirit but you were already unconcious so I jumped in and got you. You stopped breathing for a minute and a half."

Mai was sorry she had asked. It felt like the air had gotten heavier with each word Naru spoke.

"You are to carry around one of Matsuzaki's charms even when we are not on a case. What possessed you to lean over the side of a boat, anyway, Mai? Were you trying to fall in?" Naru fumed.

Mai scowled as she looked over at him. What did _he_ have to be so angry about, all of a sudden? "It wasn't like I asked to be pulled into the water!" Mai retorted. "And besides, it's not as if you care that much anyway! You just care about your precious tea!"

Mai realized too late that she had said the wrong thing. She flinched, awaiting some kind of lecture from him or maybe an explosion. All she heard, however, was silence. It was worse than the lecture. Before she could apologize, Ayako and Takigawa walked through the door.

When they noticed Mai was up, they were at her side immediately. "How do you feel, Jou-chan?" Bou-san asked.

Mai didn't answer; she couldn't. She watched as Naru exited the room.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I'm sooooo sorry it's been so long! I got caught up in the sea of homework. XD Actually, I still haven't caught up but I needed a break from everything that's happened within the span of a month. So! Here's the next chapter and I made it nice and long for you guys. One song I had to listen to while getting this chapter out was Hatsune Miku, "Can't I Even Dream?" Such a haunting and sad song. XD Whelp, enjoy! And please; criticism is welcome!

Chapter Five: Why?

Mai sighed as she walked into the living room of where they were staying. She had figured that Naru would make this into a case but she never expected the equipment to get there so fast. "Work-a-holic," she muttered as she made for her room. She froze when she realized that there were cameras and a mike set up. She was suddenly furious. Yes, a ghost had attacked her but did this mean that she had to have her privacy encroached on?

It wasn't like the spirit had attached itself to her or Gene would have mentioned it, wouldn't he? Mai shook her head, saddened a little at the thought of Gene and sprawled across the bed haphazardly, trying to ignore the cameras. She put a hand to her head, as she felt the beginning of a headache form. 'Great, this day couldn't possibly get worse,' she thought.

Mai soon regretted those thoughts when Masako came into the room and stood in front of the camera. "Mai, you need to be careful of what you do and how you sit with the equipment in here," she blurted out. The girl lowered her voice as she explained, "You just flashed everyone in the base."

Mai bolted upright; making sure her skirt covered her this time. She blushed at the thought of Naru seeing her panties. Masako noticed the girl's distress and said, "You won't have to face him for a little while. Just rest; you only got out of the hospital, after all."

Mai nodded, still a little embarrassed. "I think I'm going to take a hot bath," she murmured to the medium before getting up, grabbing some clothes, and walking into the bathroom that was adjoined to the room. As soon as she closed the door behind her, Mai locked the door and made sure that there weren't any cameras hiding anywhere.

All she found was an EMF detector. She laughed at her own idiocy in relief. Of course there weren't any cameras in her bathroom! Oliver may be a workaholic but he at least had the decency to respect her privacy. She made sure her iPod was still in its dock on the counter by the sink. She turned it on and set it to shuffle before filling the bath tub.

Mai sighed as she sank into her bath. This was as close as she was going to get to relaxing on this so called 'vacation.' After a few moments she closed her eyes, unable to keep them open any longer. She drifted into sleep blissfully unaware.

_She opened her eyes to see Gene standing before her. He was frowning and looked as if he were trying to say something. Mai strained to hear him, but no sound came to her ears. He faded away, leaving Mai confused. And then, she felt as if she were being thrown about until the darkness of the dream plane faded into what she now recognized as someone's memory._

_She took in her surroundings, with an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She was standing at the edge of a cliff. On her right was a man in Edo style clothing. He grimaced. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked, searching her eyes for her answer._

_She stared back and her voice never wavered as she responded, "I would rather die with you than let them capture me." She felt the rush of love and affection for the man beside her. She looked behind her as noise made its way to her ears; the mob was getting closer. She grabbed his hand before turning back; trying to determine how much time they had left. She felt herself get pushed to the ground. She glanced back to find that Ichirou was already gone. She stayed on her knees in shock. "Noooo!" she screamed as she realized that she had been left behind._

….

Naru had noticed the drop in temperature in Mai's room and had run out of base, the rest of the gang only a few seconds behind him as they realized what was going on.

When they all made it to Mai's bathroom door, Takigawa kicked it in. Naru filed in first, with Ayako, Bou-san, and Masako right behind him.

The first thing Mai did was look directly at Naru, tears filling her eyes, and ask, "Why?"

Naru was at a loss for words; the expression on her face was of a broken woman. It seemed familiar to him somehow, although he knew he hadn't seen Mai like that before. The girl in question slumped forward, breaking him from his thoughts. He made to pick her up but was stopped by Ayako, who pushed past him to check on the girl she saw as a daughter.

Masako shooed the guys out, as the spirit had already left and Mai was exposed. Ayako and Masako then dried the girl off and dressed her before getting her into bed.

…

Mai awoke with a groan. She had such a headache! She sat up slowly and almost jumped upon seeing Naru watching her. She flushed. "W-what happened?" she asked as she accepted the aspirin tablet and glass of water he held out to her.

"You were possessed."

Mai finished off the water and sat it on the bedside table. The ghost's memories flashed through her mind. She studied her hands as her throat constricted painfully. "That poor woman," she murmured.

This grabbed Naru's attention. "What did you see?"

Mai gasped as she remembered an important aspect of her dream. "Naru, is it possible for a ghost to force you into a memory?"

Naru's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Well, usually Gene guides me to the memories but this time it was as if he couldn't reach me. He was trying to tell me something but no sound came from his mouth and he looked worried. As soon as he disappeared, I felt like I was being thrown into this particular memory," Mai explained. She was a little worried and had a bad feeling about not being able to communicate with her Spirit Guide.

Naru scowled as he thought. So this particular spirit could block a Spirit Guide? It was a bad sign that it was a strong spirit they were dealing with. He would need to discuss this with Lin, but for now it was important that he figure out what the ghost wanted. "Tell me about the memory."

Mai told him everything and when she was finished, said, "At least I know why she's attached herself to me."

At this, Naru narrowed his eyes. He already knew why the ghost had sought her out; it was because she was in love with Gene, who was no longer living. He cleared his throat. "And why is that?"

Mai looked him straight in the eyes as she sensed his anger. "Because I know how it feels to be left, Noll."

This wasn't the answer he had anticipated. "You weren't left," he shot back, asking a question with his eyes.

Mai, noticing this, gave him a sad smile and shook her head. "If you don't understand, I can't give you the answers."

Naru was about to retort that there wasn't any possible way that she could have been left because Gene had died before she could even meet him but he stopped himself at the look on her face. It was as if the ground had given way under her or as if her world had fallen apart.

Naru stood and turned to leave. He was afraid he'd do something foolish if he stayed with her like this.

"Naru?"

Naru glanced back at her. "Yes?"

"Can you tell everyone to leave me alone for a little while?" she requested, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice.

Naru nodded. He didn't have the heart to say no. He left the room.

As soon as he had left the room, Mai crumbled. She hid herself from the camera under her pillow and blankets and allowed herself to despair. He didn't know. He couldn't possibly understand how his leaving had affected her.

Intuition told her that Naru was the reason the ghost had showed her memories. Ichirou had left; Naru had too.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I wasn't too sure about this chapter. I think I did well with Lin's reaction but I'm not sure about the rest of it. Please read and review! Oh! And I do not own Patsy Cline's song "Crazy." I was just listening to it a lot yesterday. XD

Chapter Six: There's More?

Meanwhile, at base, Naru was getting the beginnings of a headache. How had Mai been left? She hadn't known Gene and therefore couldn't have been 'left.' Could she mean her parents? No, this had to be related to Mai romantically. Maybe a past boyfriend?

His musing was cut short by Lin, who threw the headphones down in disgust. "I can no longer listen to this, Noll. You need to take responsibility for your actions."

Naru scowled. "And what actions would those be, pray tell?"

Lin scowled back at him. "In case you haven't noticed, Mai is in there crying because of **you**. Are you that clueless, **Professor **Davis?"

Naru glared. He didn't like it when his intelligence was insulted. "I highly doubt it's my fault, Lin. She's probably thinking of Gene."

Lin grabbed his charges shirt and pulled him closer. "If you think for one moment that you are unimportant to her, then you are a bigger fool than I thought." The Chinese man let go of Naru and made for the door.

"Where are you going?" Naru demanded.

Lin turned back with a glare on his face. "I'm going to bring Mai some tea. Unlike you, I act like I have a heart." He then left the room.

Naru punched the nearby wall in frustration as he was left to his own thoughts.

….

Mai pulled the pillow off of her face in an attempt to calm herself. She tried to wipe the tears away, but they kept rolling down her cheeks. This was the worst she had ever felt regarding Naru. She had never felt so broken before. Maybe it was because she expected him to notice how she was barely keeping herself together around him. Or maybe it was because he left the room instead of comforting her. Whatever it was, she felt like she was drowning in her own despair. Just when she thought she couldn't take being by herself anymore, a knock came to the door. "C-come in," she called between sniffles as she tried to compose herself.

She was surprised when Lin walked in, holding a cup of tea. "Lin-san?" she questioned.

Lin sat on the side of her bed. "I apologize for Noll's behavior. I'm afraid he truly is an idiot scientist, as Gene used to say," he answered.

Mai couldn't help the giggle that passed her lips. Soon she was holding her stomach she was laughing so hard. When she was able to compose herself, she took a few sips of the tea. It was better than she expected, and soothing. She took another sip before looking at Lin and saying softly, "Thank you, Lin. He just doesn't realize the affect he has on me and no matter how much I try to distance myself from him, I can't."

Lin nodded. "You shouldn't bottle your feelings up so much. It might even do him some good to hear you yell at him."

Mai smiled sadly. "I don't know. He's so convinced that I love Gene that it's probably a lost cause."

Lin ruffled her hair, uncharacteristically. "Just remember that the rest of us care about you. If you ever need to talk, Mai, we're all here for you; your family."

Mai smiled, this time in content, and thanked him. He left her with a warm and fuzzy feeling and a good cup of tea.

….

The next day, Mai awoke refreshed and while she wasn't necessarily happy, she felt a lot better than she had in months. She got up and, being mindful of the cameras, made her way to the bathroom and changed. When she came out she started to make her bed and clean a little bit while singing a western song her mom used to sing to her. It was in English but she loved it. "Worry, why do I let myself worry, wondering' what in the world did I do? Oh crazy for thinking that my love could hold you. I'm crazy for trying, crazy for crying and crazy for loving you," she sang aloud.

It was at this moment that Yasuhara walked in. "Mai-Chan!~ Feeling better?"

Mai turned to him and grinned. "Yes, thanks. What's up?"

Yasu had a mischievous glint in his eyes before responding, "I wanted to kidnap you for the day!"

Mai sweat dropped. "No need, Yasu. If I don't help out on this one, I'd feel bad."

Yasu pouted. "But Mai-Chan-" he started to whine.

He was interrupted by Bou-san, who grabbed him by the ear. "Yasu, leave the poor girl alone! Besides, Naru's getting pretty scary without his tea."

Mai sighed. "It can't be helped." Secretly she was glad that she had an excuse not to deal with Yasu. It would just make things worse at this point. She shot the monk a grateful look before making her way to the kitchen. Once the tea was ready she brought it to base. She gave Naru his first, then gave some to Lin. No one else was in base yet so she set the tray down and grabbed a cup for herself. She noticed that Naru had deep circles under his eyes. She made a mental note to make his next batch of tea stronger. She wordlessly picked up the clipboard and thermometer without being asked and started for the door. "Mai?"

Mai stopped in her tracks and turned slowly. "Yes?"

"What are you doing?"

Mai put the clipboard down. 'Of course,' she thought. "Taking temperatures?" she asked, hoping to escape Naru and his lethal silence.

Lin shook his head. "Don't worry about it. You're only job today is to relax."

Mai watched Naru for his reaction. He was glaring at the file he was trying to read; a sure sign of anger. She backed away slowly. "Are you sure?"

Lin smiled. "I'm sure. Go on, Mai."

Mai nodded and made her way back to her room. "Like I can relax when Oliver looks that angry," she muttered as she looked for her beach bag. Once she found it, she pulled out the book she had been reading earlier and made her way back to base so that she could be around when her boss needed tea. She sat down and started reading again.

Soon, she heard Naru comment, "Again with that ridiculous book?"

Mai glared at him over her book. "What is your problem with it?" She didn't notice that while she had been reading, the rest of the gang had filed in.

"After yesterday, you still want to feel sad? You truly are an idiot."

"It's making me feel better than you, you stupid, narcissistic jerk!" she shot back. And with that, Mai stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Naru ignored the dirty looks from everyone in the room as he picked up the book in question, which she had left behind.

"Was that really necessary, Naru?" Monk asked.

Naru said nothing and went back to the file he had been reading before. After a while there was a very familiar scream. Everyone dropped what they were doing and ran to the source.

…

Mai backed into the wall. How did she always end up in these situations? Standing before her was Ichirou with a livid expression on his face. "I loved you, Kana. How could you?" he roared.

Mai whimpered. "I'm not Kana. I'm Mai."

Ichirou chuckled. "Don't lie to me, Kana. I know you better than you know yourself, remember?" he taunted.

"I'm not Kana!" Mai cried out, frustrated.

Ichirou let out a growl as a strong wind pushed her forward, toward him. Mai whimpered as he grabbed her by the chin and forced her to look at him. "You will be mine!"

Mai screamed as she was picked up and carried to a nearby window. "Time to jump, Kana."

A whistle sounded and Mai was dropped to the floor. She moaned. She hurt. She wasn't sure she wanted to get up so she lay there, face against the cool hardwood. She felt strong arms pick her up and she made a noise of protest. The person refused to put her down so she snuggled into them. She vaguely recognized the smell of tea and cologne before she felt herself slip into darkness.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Caught Up in the Middle

_Mai sighed as she found herself once again on the Spirit Plane. She searched for a familiar figure and finally spotted him a few yards away. She ran toward him. "Gene?" she called. He turned and started to say something. Mai couldn't hear him and struggled to get closer to him._

_It was no use, as he faded leaving her alone. Her intuition was screaming at her to wake up. It was at this point that she realized she wasn't alone. She turned around and nearly screamed as she saw Ichirou staring at her with a hungry look on his face. And, as if there were a projector, a memory played out behind the spirit._

"_How could you kill me, Kana? I thought you wanted to be with me!" he roared._

_Mai turned and started running. She couldn't let him get her. She looked back and suddenly felt as if she were being propelled forward. She found Kana herself dragging Mai away from the man, a look of hatred on her face. "HE left ME!" she screeched at Mai. _

She jolted awake with a gasp. She sat there for a moment, panting before she realized that her name was being called. She turned to see herself surrounded by the rest of SPR.

Naru handed her a cup of tea. "What happened?" he demanded.

Mai took a deep breath. The first thing she said was, "I look just like her."

"Who?" Ayako interjected.

"Kana. She was the spirit that possessed me. She's still here because she thinks that Ichirou left her at the Cliffside. Ichirou is still here because he thinks she killed him. And, Gene- I still couldn't contact him. I think Ichirou is blocking our way of communication." Mai frowned. "And I think Ichirou was planning on doing something just then, on the Spirit Plane. Kana saved me."

Naru narrowed his eyes at a spot on the wall. They needed to get rid of this ghost. "Takigawa, do you feel up to performing an exorcism tonight?"

Takigawa looked Naru in the eyes. "No problem," he responded. He was ready to get rid of this menace to Mai's safety.

Ayako looked from Takigawa to Naru. "Wait- does this mean that Mai isn't safe while she sleeps?" she questioned.

Naru sighed. "She'll need a charm. Lin can make it." As he said this he looked over at the Chinese man. Lin nodded and Naru felt a bit of relief. He wasn't sure if they would easily be able to get rid of Ichirou and Kana, but at least this way he knew that Mai could sleep safely. Granted, she wouldn't be able to dream but they already knew the spirit's motives in this haunting. It was just a matter of getting a little more information.

Mai watched Naru as he thought. He was going to interrogate her soon, she knew. She sighed as she got up.

Ayako made a noise of protest and was about to force Mai back down to the couch when she gasped. "Mai, where'd you get that bruise?"

Mai gave Ayako a questioning glance before looking down at her wrist- the direction Ayako was staring- and gasped herself. For there, on her wrist was a large bruise. It wasn't just an average bruise either. There were words etched around her wrist in bold letters. "He left me," Mai murmured aloud.

A tense silence enveloped the room. Bou-san finally broke the silence. "If Mai already knows what happened why is this Kana becoming violent? I thought she was protecting Mai."

Everyone turned to Mai as she spoke up, "It's because she's trying to warn me."

Masako frowned. "Please explain."

Mai sighed. "I am the same as her, in a way. She must've have attached herself to me after hearing my talk with Ayako and Masako. I was left like her. The only problem in her eyes is that the person that left me is still around. She's trying to tell me to leave before I'm left again." She stole a glance in Naru's direction. She could tell he still didn't get it. She looked around the room to find a few more confused glances.

"How were you left, Mai? What happened?" Madoka asked.

Mai shook her head. "It's not important."

Bou-san scowled. "It sure as hell is, if it's what's causing this haunting!"

Yasuhara sighed. His plans weren't working out. It would be better if things were laid out in the open. He gave Mai an encouraging smile. "You should tell them. Naru might not like it, but wouldn't it be better this way?" he announced.

Ayako and Masako agreed. "Don't worry, it'll be fine," Masako said.

Mai nodded. "Okay. Well, do you remember, Bou-san, the first time that SPR disbanded?"

Monk nodded and she continued. "I- well-" Mai couldn't finish and hung her head. "I'm sorry, guys. I just can't," she stated as she left the room. She made her way to the kitchen, tears in her eyes. She needed to get away and for Naru to somehow miraculously understand just what he had done to her. But she wasn't about to burden him by saying aloud everything she had held in for the past couple of years. No, he had enough to worry about.

"Mai!" she heard Naru shout. Footsteps soon followed and Mai started running. She had made it almost to the edge of the waters when he caught up to her.

She glared defiantly at him. While she had been sad back in the base, she was angry now.

Naru watched her for a moment before asking, "Why won't you tell me the reason this ghost is haunting you? I deserve to know as do the others."

"Oh, so you _deserve_ to know, huh? Why don't you tell me? You were there, two years ago!" she spat.

Naru raised an eyebrow. Surely she didn't mean that night by the lake?

Mai advanced toward Naru and jabbed his chest with her finger. "You may be a genius, but I have never seen anyone more clueless in my life! I'm talking about the night I confessed! Remember? You told me I was in love with Gene, but you're wrong! It's always been you!"

Naru could say nothing more than, "Why?"

Mai sighed as she closed her eyes. "What reason could I possibly have to not love you? You may act harshly sometimes, but we all know that you can't express yourself well. And that's fine. You've had it rough. You care deeply for the members of SPR and it shows in the way you regard our safety. You wouldn't let us even attempt to exorcise Urado because you didn't want us to get hurt. You even used your psychometry to try and find Masako when she went missing! You don't smile as often as Gene but that's what makes your smiles so precious. I have to work to get you to smile which means that it's genuine. Don't you see? While Gene was always comforting me, it was always YOU who saved me; you who made me tea. It's always ever been you!" Mai took a deep breath and was going to say more when she was stopped by Naru himself.

Naru pulled her close to him and leaned towards her, as if to kiss her. Mai's eyes widened and suddenly she had a bad feeling. She took one look behind Naru and screamed. For Kanna stood behind him, a murderous look on her face. Naru looked too, and in an attempt to protect Mai turned and shielded her.

"You can't make the same mistake!" Kanna screeched.

Mai watched in horror as Kanna gripped Naru by the neck and started to back away with him. "Nooo!" she cried before somewhat pulling herself together and chanting the Nine Cuts.

It was too late; Kanna faded away, Naru in tow.

Mai fell to her knees. "Lin! Bou-san! Ayako! Somebody! She's got Naru!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, tears never pausing.

A/N: Things have been so crazy here lately; it's hard to know where to even begin… Um, recently my one year old niece was diagnosed with a rare cancer-like disease known as HLH. There was a lot of back forth for a while and then the crazy race to find a donor. Fortunately, a donor was found and she's had the BMT (bone marrow transplant). It'll be maybe another week or so before we know if it took, so please keep her in your prayers. Here's a website that can explain everything a lot better: So other than that I have been dealing with school and work. So sorry I didn't update sooner! I feel like I am making excuses, and I apologize if it sounds that way. Thanks for the awesome reviews and I hope you enjoy!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: Wherefore art thou Narcissist?

Mai sat on the couch in base, totally numb to what was going on around her. It had been four hours and counting since Naru had been taken and the others had been searching the property since. Lin had sent out his shiki and hadn't been able to even sense Naru. Mai was anxious and irritable and couldn't stay still. This was all her fault. She should never have exploded on Naru the way she did. Sure, it might have gotten through Oliver's thick head that she truly loved him and not Gene, but it had cost her so dearly.

Mai couldn't find anything to occupy her mind. There was nothing for her to do but sit and wait. She sighed. Ayako came to her and pushed her to the couch. "Sleep. Maybe your dreams will show us where he is, like when Masako was taken."

Mai said nothing, just nodded. She lay on the couch and concentrated on her breathing. Soon she found herself on the Spirit Plane in front of Gene. "Gene! Where's Naru?" she couldn't stop from asking right away.

Gene frowned. "…." He tried to say something, anything, but no sound left his mouth. He scowled and pointed somewhere behind her. Mai saw nothing but black.

"Gene…. Are you not able to tell me where he is?" she asked.

Gene nodded. He pointed to her chest and then to his own.

Mai scowled. This was getting her nowhere! And then it hit her. "You don't mean my instinct, do you?" she questioned.

There was a triumphant smile lighting Gene's face.

"So my instinct will lead me to Naru?"

A short nod confirmed her suspicions and she woke instantly. She shot off of the couch and made for the door.

"Mai!" Bou-san called behind her, but she didn't slow down. She had to make it to Noll before something horrible happened! She allowed her feet to guide her even when she reached the forest covering a good bit of the island. As she cleared the forest she realized she was on the same Cliffside that Kanna and Ichirou had parted. She looked around for a moment trying to get a sense of the place. Off to her right there was a sort of cave. Mai ran towards it and when she was in she was able to make out a figure slumped on the ground. Her breath caught.

"Naru?" she called out cautiously. There was no response and Mai made her way to the figure, fear gripping her heart. She knelt down and checked for a pulse and was relieved to find one. It was weak, but he was still alive. She moved Naru's head to her lap and ran her fingers through his hair. Suddenly, she felt Kanna's presence fill the cave. She moved to cover Naru protectively.

"Why? Why don't you understand that this man is nothing but trouble for you?" Kanna asked confusion evident in her voice.

Mai scowled. "Noll isn't a bad person. As a matter of fact, he's always saving me."

"But he's hurt you! Why can't you see that if he's hurt you once he'll do it again?"

Mai sighed. "You're right. He has hurt me and he may very well do it again. But that doesn't mean it's intentional! He just doesn't know how to act around me. As time goes on he'll learn. He's only human and I'm sure there will be times where I will hurt him as well. Relationships aren't perfect."

Kanna glared. "That was my mistake; thinking like you that things would work out. Don't you see how that ended for me? In the end I was left to those horrible people!"

Mai, remembering the case before SPR disbanded, tried to think of happy things. "Kana, what happened to you was a tragic accident. Ichirou didn't leave you; he tripped," she tried to explain.

"Tell that to the horrific mob that caught up to me!" Kanna shrieked.

Mai took a deep breath as she tried again. Before any sound could leave her mouth, however, Ichirou appeared looking angry. He looked first at Kanna and then at Mai and Naru as if sizing up the situation. He finally snarled, "So you loved me so much that you would kidnap another maiden's partner? First you kill me and now you seek out other men? Is that how it is?"

Kanna scowled. "I KILLED you? Is that the story now? It was you who went off and left me to die at the hands of the villagers!" Kanna raged.

Mai put herself between the two, keeping Naru in her peripherals. "Stop! Both of you are acting like children! Kanna didn't take Naru out of lust."

"What was it then, if not lust?" Ichirou demanded.

Mai kept herself calm as she explained, "She was protecting me. She didn't want me to be hurt the same way she was."

"HURT?" Ichirou roared. "How was SHE hurt? It was I who was pushed off of a cliff! The villagers must have praised you quite a bit after my death."

Mai was very close to losing her patience. What an obstinate spirit! But then she remembered the teacher and children she had cleansed and how long it took. She took a deep breath to calm herself and focused on the task at hand. She needed to emit light to calm them. She thought of Naru and how happy he made her, despite the hurt he'd inflicted. "Ichirou, Kanna never killed you. She didn't push you off the cliff, you tripped and fell. She sincerely loves you and wasn't exactly praised for your death. She was raped, and then endured a torturous death."

At Mai's words, Ichirou gave Kanna a pained look. "D-did they really-"

"Violate me? Yes." Kanna was watching him cautiously.

Ichirou moved closer to her as if inspecting her. Finally, with a sigh, he said, "I'm sorry. It's my fault that you endured that kind of life. Your family never liked me anyway."

Kanna chuckled. "Only because they thought you were a witch. You really didn't leave me?"

Ichirou grasped her hands in his. "Why would I want to leave you? I love you more than anything this world could provide me. And you're sure you didn't push me?"

Kanna reached up and stroked his cheek. "Of course not! I've only ever wanted to be with you!"

Ichirou chuckled. "Look at us fools; we spent so much time doubting each other when we should have been spending it together."

Kanna laughed as well, and Mai listened to their laughter, a warm feeling enveloping her. The two spirits were glowing.

"You two should move on. You can rest with each other now," Mai said.

Kanna and Ichirou both looked at Mai a bit of guilt on each face. "We're so sorry we put you and your friends through so much trouble. I'm especially sorry for hurting your soul mate."

Mai blushed. "I wouldn't go as far as calling him my soul mate," she protested.

Kanna blinked. "Then how do you explain the red string connecting you two?"

Mai looked down at her hands and gasped as her eyes stopped at her pinky. Sure enough, there was a red line connecting her and Naru stretching from her pinky to Naru's. She gaped. She had never before believed in the red string of fate, but now she was struggling to explain it. She looked back up at Kanna, who giggled. "Thank you, Mai, for bringing us back together."

Mai smiled. "It was my honor." She wiped away the tears as the couple disappeared. Then she heard a moan. Her eyes went straight to Naru. He didn't wake.

"Mai?" a voice called out.

"I'm in here! Call an ambulance, or get Ayako in here, Monk! Naru's unconscious!"

A/N: Sorry it's taken me so long to update. -_-() I will be posting the next chapter sometime this week as I'll be finished with finals tomorrow. And over the summer I plan on posting a few more plot bunnies. As for tonight, I have a LOT of cramming to do. Hopefully this chapter doesn't seem too rushed. XD


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: Never Forgotten

The next few days were a chaotic blur for Mai. They had taken Naru to the hospital where he remained unconscious. They were carefully monitoring him in his own room. It had been nearly a week and the doctors were worried that although he was breathing on his own, he wasn't responding.

Mai hadn't left Naru's side since she'd found him in the cave. No matter what the others said she refused to leave him. She had to be there when he woke; she couldn't bear to even go to the hospital cafeteria. The doctors had mentioned the possibility of memory loss and even a coma. Mai's grip on Naru's hand tightened at the thought. "Nee, Naru? Bou-san and Ayako came by again today. Masako couldn't bear to come so John's staying with her. She was bombarded by spirits the moment she walked in. As for Madoka and Lin, they're downstairs eating. Ah! Lin-san mentioned that your parents would be here today so you'd better wake up soon, or you'll end up worrying them," Mai rambled.

There was a sudden knock at the door and she turned, never loosening her grip on Naru. "Come in!" she called.

The door opened to reveal Lin and a couple that she immediately recognized to be Luella and Martin Davis. Mai stood and bowed before saying in English, "**It's nice to see you again, Mr. and Mrs. Davis**."

Lin raised a brow. **"When did you learn to speak English, Mai?"**

Mai blushed and ran her fingers through her hair nervously. **"It's not important. Anyway, the doctors have said that Noll's vitals are just fine. Everything's up to him now."**

Luella studied the young woman in front of Oliver's bed. She vaguely remembered meeting her when they flew from England to retrieve Gene's body, but she hadn't really paid attention.

Mai gasped. She turned to Luella and Martin and bowed apologetically. **"I'm sorry! I haven't introduced myself properly! My name is Mai Taniyama and I'm Oliver's assistant."** Mai hadn't told the others what had happened between her and Naru exactly and wasn't planning to without Naru's consent.

Luella stepped forward and gave the woman- Mai- a gentle smile. **"It's alright, dear. How long have you been here?"**

Mai blushed and glanced at Lin, surprised he hadn't said anything. **"Ah, um, since he was admitted."**

A few hours and an interrogation from Luella later, Mai was still sitting at Naru's bedside reading some of his published research. She couldn't deny that it was fascinating and was still blown away by his genius. Actually, she was captivated by everything about Naru. Luella had shared some stories of Oliver and Gene, and Mai could only smile thinking about Naru as a child.

Mai was brought out of her thoughts by Luella standing from her seat on the other side of Naru. The woman stretched and explained**, "I'm going downstairs for something to eat. Would you like to come, Mai?"**

Mai shook her head**. "I'm fine. I ate a big breakfast earlier."**

**"Are you sure? I could bring something back for you if you'd prefer that."**

Mai smiled and insisted that she was fine.

Luella watched Mai for a moment before shrugging at her husband and leading him out of the door.

Mai sighed as soon as she knew the two were gone. She was so tired. She laid her head on the bed beside Naru's arm and grasped his hand. A few minutes of sleep couldn't hurt, could it?

About 20 minutes into her light nap, she felt stirring beside her. Her eyes shot open and she sat up, watching Naru intently. His eyes opened. Mai was frozen in place. What if he didn't remember her?

"Mai?" he asked.

Mai worked at being calm. "Naru, you're awake. How do you feel?"

Naru grimaced. "I have a headache, but otherwise I feel alright."

Mai pressed the call button for the nurses. "That's good. You're parents are here," she stated.

"What happened?"

Mai turned to Naru. He didn't remember? What else didn't he remember?

"What's the last thing you can recall?" Mai held her breath anticipating the worse.

Naru stared out of the window for a moment before answering, "I went after you. You yelled at me and then Kana showed up."

Mai threw herself at Naru, wrapping her arms around him. Tears were falling down her cheeks and she worked at muffling a sob.

"Mai?" Naru asked, alarmed. What was making her react this way?

"You idiot scientist," she mumbled. "Do you know how worried I was? The doctors said you might not wake up or that you'd wake with memory loss. I was so scared…"

Naru was shocked for a moment. And then he wrapped his arms around Mai and chuckled. He couldn't stop laughing.

Mai pulled away to look at him. "What could you possibly be laughing about, Oliver Davis?" she demanded, a little taken aback.

Naru regained composure with only a smirk to prove his amusement. "Idiot."

Before Mai could explode on him, he pulled her into a hug and explained, "I could never forget you."

Unknown to Naru and Mai, Luella, Martin, and the nurses were watching the scene some shocked, others touched. Luella smiled. "Would you look at that, Martin; we may get grandkids after all!"

Martin snorted, amused that his wife was getting so much ahead of herself.

Lin and Madoka walked up. Lin cleared his throat. Luella motioned the two closer and moved so they could see what was going on. Lin looked inside to see Mai and Noll looking at the door, a blush covering Mai's face and a glare covering Noll's.

"Are you all finished spying, yet?" Noll demanded.

**A/N: **Sorry it took me so long to finally finish. -_-() But! Now that I am done with finals and am taking a semester off from school, I shall be posting more stories. :D I actually have quite a few ideas for more fanfics that have been nagging at me. XD As a matter of fact, here's a little peek at one of the summaries.

Six years after SPR disbands, Mai is in America working with a new ghost hunting group. But when a case from Birmingham, AL brings both SPR and Mai's new crew together, will Oliver and the gang even recognize her anymore? And as Mai's power starts growing again, will things spiral out of control or can Oliver save her from herself?


End file.
